


lilies of the valley

by fruti2flutie



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alcohol, Canon Compliant, Domestic, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Fukuroudani, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, No Plot/Plotless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24363160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fruti2flutie/pseuds/fruti2flutie
Summary: Kaori sets up the laptop. Yukie grabs the snacks. They hold hands underneath the table, and they watch their ace shine like a polished cut of diamond.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Shirofuku Yukie/Suzumeda Kaori
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	lilies of the valley

**Author's Note:**

> me after reading ch392: the fukurodani managers are LESBIANS, your honor (i.e. i kept thinking abt girls happy & in love + bokuaka so my brain did This)

Neither of them can be in Sendai for the MSBY Black Jackals/Schweiden Adlers game, so they plan to do the next best thing: watch together in the comfort of a home. Yukie's home, that is, because Kaori is long overdue for a tour of Chiba ever since she moved out of Tokyo. 

Yukie wants to bring Kaori to the Hoki Museum, the Chiba Zoological Park, AEON Mall, and... well, everywhere. It's not a realistic goal for only a couple days in the city, but Yukie has her mind made up and Kaori loves her too much to tell her otherwise. 

So, on the day of the match, Kaori takes the bullet train early in the morning, an overnight bag packed along with a weekend's worth of work. The chilly November air makes her shiver, and momentarily she misses the signature ponytail she had in high school. Her current pixie cut had been Yukie's idea, a symbolic gesture to commemorate getting her dream job, but she still likes the practicality of long hair and its ability to shield the cold. 

_Hair is just hair, babe. It'll grow back before you know it_ , Yukie would say. Kaori smiles at the thought, warmed down to her toes.

When the train reaches Chiba and Kaori steps onto the platform, she doesn't need to spend any time at all searching for her redheaded girlfriend. Yukie is waiting on a bench, a brown paper bag in her lap, her sleepy eyes appearing sleepier. When she spots Kaori, though, her expression instantly brightens as she lunges out of her seat to wrap Kaori in the tightest of embraces. 

Kaori lets a laugh tumble out of her mouth as she noses Yukie's curtain of hair. "What's in the bag?" she asks, pulling back.

After giving her girlfriend a welcome kiss, Yukie answers, "Breakfast, darling." 

"Donuts?" 

Yukie takes one glazed pastry out from the bag and holds it for Kaori to take a large bite. "Indeed, donuts," she confirms. "Now, off to the zoo. I want to see the owls."

——

Yukie's apartment is the perfect space for their two-person watch party. The kitchen is only steps away, the fridge fully stocked, as is the bathroom, as clean as can be. The couch is right by the low table, where Kaori's laptop is at the perfect angle to watch the game. There are bear plushies sitting on the ledge behind it, so they have the option to squeeze them in frustration because of plays gone awry or yucky serving mistakes. They'll also have dinner afterwards, but for now—

"What should our snack situation be?"

Kaori looks to the kitchen, where Yukie is rummaging through her cabinets like a methodical raccoon in the night. "Well, what kind of junk food do you have?" 

"How dare you ask a nutritionist what junk food she has," Yukie remarks, feigning outrage. 

"We had _donuts_ earlier."

"I fed them all to _you_ because they're your _favorite._ "

Kaori doesn't rise to the bait, though she is genuinely touched. "Don't act all high and mighty, Ms. Nutritionist. During high school you had a bag of candy hidden in the storage closet!"

Buzzing her lips, Yukie tosses a bag of potato chips in Kaori's direction. "Hey, that sugar stash was a communal secret between me and the boys," she defends. "Don't tell my coworkers that; they'd _prosecute_ me. I humbly surrender."

Satisfied, Kaori says, "I would never," and she means it. She pats the space next to her. "Hurry and sit down. I'm getting lonely over here."

"Have you gotten the stream loaded yet?" Yukie asks. 

"Almost. It's still buffering."

Yukie pulls open the fridge. "Then I'm getting beer first."

Kaori frowns. "We haven't even had dinner yet," she chides.

"There are chips," Yukie points out. 

"Doesn't count!"

"Chips are food, babe." Yukie places two cans of beer at the table and plops onto the couch. "I won't drink too much, okay? Pinky-promise." 

Kaori rolls her eyes, despite smiling. "Okay. Pinky-promise."

As Yukie is idly checking her phone, a notification from one of their group chats causes her to gasp. "The boys are at a _bar_ ," she says, scandalized, as she shows her girlfriend.

Past the short messages of encouragement Onaga and Washio had sent before their own games, a new photo set in a dimly lit bar appears in the chat. Konoha, Sarukui, and Komi are grinning widely as the TV behind them, mounted above shelves of liquor, shows the logo for a national sports station. The next message from Konoha reads: _we're there with you in spirit, ace!!!_

"I think you should chew them out, too. For missing dinner and consuming alcohol."

"Sports bars serve _real_ food," Kaori counters, after she's replied to the photo with a few hearts. "Plus, Komi has a reason to celebrate. Remember that film he auditioned for a few months ago? He landed a role!"

"As a minor character," Yukie says. Kaori glares at her. "I'm kidding! I sent him a congratulations sticker on LINE already — the one of Brown throwing money."

Kaori knows her girlfriend teases out of love, so she doesn't scold her. After graduating she's tried to put most of her matronly habits behind her, but she's still a bit too giving for a twenty-four-year-old struggling to pay rent. Kaori can't always spoil her girlfriend; Yukie could realize that Kaori would buy her a year's supply of red bean buns if she asked, and no one should wield that kind of power.

Once the stream finally goes live, Kaori squeals and excitedly claps her hands. Yukie lets out a "woo-hoo!" once she sees the volleyballs flying across the screen. The camera does a wide pan to the audience, spirited oranges and blacks dotting the seats, as well as to the players, who are warming up on the side of the court. 

"I can practically smell the Salonpas," Yukie comments, inhaling for emphasis.

Laughing, Kaori takes out her phone and urges, "Come closer and take a picture with me."

Yukie leans her head towards Kaori's, throwing a peace sign once the shutter clicks. When they view it together, she declares softly, "Print that."

Kaori glances at the wall, decorated with photos from Yukie's life. A few are from their school days: the boys eating watermelon at one of the summer training camps, the girls decorating a class sign for the cultural festival, the graduation shot of all of them in front of Fukurodani Academy. Some photos are beyond that period, candid scenes from college or group vacations. Yukie even has the first promotional volleyball match flyer Kaori had designed framed. She likes to save moments in time, keeping the past always at her present, memories dear. 

"If you ask again nicely," Kaori hums, fond. Yukie does, which also earns herself a kiss. 

"Are you posting it?"

Kaori shakes her head. "No, I'll just put in the group chat for Bokuto. Last time I tagged him on Instagram, I don't think he even saw it until the day after."

"Last time I met him, he told me that he pretty much unplugs on game day. Keeps him focused. But it scared the pants off Akaashi a few times before they were dating, which I thought was kind of funny, so that's why he only checks texts now."

"Are you allowed to tease Akaashi?" Kaori asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, because I am one of Bokuto Koutarou's closest companions, and that gives me free reign over his significant other."

Kaori snorts. "Sure, Yukippe." She sends the photo into the group chat as Yukie pouts at the use of her old nickname. 

"Our ace should know who's cheering him on tonight," Kaori muses aloud. 

"The _entire_ world," Yukie asserts, extending her arm into an arc for dramatic effect. 

"Realistically, I meant out of his friends," Kaori chuckles. 

" _Well,_ I don't know if Bokuto knows yet, but Akaashi actually flew out there to watch live. Surprise, surprise."

"No way," Kaori marvels. 

Yukie jokes, "Either editors are rich or he really loves Bokuto."

"I'm positive only one of those is true."

Nibbling on a chip, Yukie giggles and tilts her chin towards the screen. "The Adlers' line-up is getting announced."

No matter the arena, the Adlers always cause an uproar from the audience. Not only is the team full of powerhouse players, every individual is likeable in his own unique way. For example: Kaori had the chance to interview Hirugami after a press conference, and for a majority of the conversation he just talked about his little brother in veterinary school. Kageyama and Ushijima, the youngest and most serious, are terrible at commercials but are unbearably polite to staff. The rest of the team is similarly charming. Even though they're professional athletes, they're still down-to-earth humans. 

It's hard to believe Kaori and Yukie were able to meet such prospective stars in high school just by being club managers. Then again, the biggest star was at their own school, so how could they ever be surprised?

Once the announcement is over, Kaori sighs. "It's a shame that the away team doesn't get to have an announcement, too." Yukie nods in agreement, sipping her beer, and then almost chokes as a familiar roar blasts through the laptop speakers.

" _Aaaaand No.12 — Bokutooo Koutarooou!!_ "

A cartwheel, a somersault, a handstand, and a pose — performed in a flawless sequence by none other than Bokuto Koutarou himself, looking incredibly proud that he stuck the landing. 

"Spoke too soon," Yukie manages to say between coughs, but she's laughing with the crowd, with the team, with Kaori. 

Club managers are discouraged from being overly doting on players to avoid favoritism, but Bokuto had unintentionally forced them to shower him in affection. The ace of the school, with the power of a god and the brain of a toddler, had needed every ounce of attention available trained on him to stay content. When that wasn't an option, Akaashi had been the best at finding ways to get Bokuto motivated, oftentimes in scarily analytical and accurate ways. 

(There was one time, during a long practice match, where Bokuto couldn't get his timing right and was hindering his side's ability to maneuver to new formations. He'd sulked, sulked, and sulked. So, Akaashi had announced that there was a rainbow outside — a random, seemingly thoughtless observation. And yet it caused Bokuto to shout nonsense, ramble about wanting to see it. In no time, the ace ramped up his concentration to cleanly finish the game, sprint out of the gym, and marvel at nature's beauty. The scary part about that was how it hadn't even been raining.)

But Bokuto has matured now; he's gone through the trials. Being Fukurodani's dependable ace. Losing nationals. Maintaining the passion for the sport. Becoming a professional volleyball player. Finding his love off the court. He's learned to be better for the better.

This is the first time Kaori and Yukie are watching the Black Jackals and Adlers face off, as well as the first time watching a game in almost a year. They haven't had the time to watch many professional games, especially in person, but this one in particular is special for Bokuto. Even though Kaori promotes sports for a living, he'd been the one to boastfully advertise this match on every social media platform and every group chat he's included in. After all, this is Hinata's debut game, so of course he wants to show off their team's new source of firepower. 

When the referee blows the whistle, Kaori and Yukie clink beers and keep their eyes on the ball as best they can. 

_0-0._

——

By the end of the first set, both women are utterly exhausted. Watching a volleyball game as a fan instead of a manager is extremely stressful, because rather than focusing on the players themselves they're watching the points, and boy, are the plays that lead to them _intense._

Kaori has her head in her hands; Yukie hangs off the couch with chip crumbs around her mouth. The entire bag of potato chips had been consumed after the first ten points purely out of stress, but they're both still on their first can of beer so it isn't too bad. Kaori really hopes they don't spoil their dinner.

"We're going to kill our backs," Yukie proclaims, when she returns from the kitchen with more snacks. She stretches her arms above her head, sighing. "I know a few chiropractors, but I don't think it'll be worth it."

"Let's move to the floor," Kaori suggests. They set pillows onto the ground and sit, their backs supported by the couch. She lets out a surprised noise. "Oh, that worked better than I expected. This is comfy."

"Good idea, darling."

The game resumes, pace unbelievably fast. Ushijima spikes. Sakusa receives. Hinata counters and gets blocked by Kageyama. Bokuto saves it. Miya and Barnes perform a quick, and Hoshiumi can't get a hold of it. The Black Jackals huddle together and cheer.

Another point. 

Yukie rests her head on Kaori's shoulder, eyes glued to the screen. "Hand, please."

"Needy," Kaori teases, but she lets Yukie hold onto it anyway. 

And they continue to watch their ace shine, with each other at home, nearly four-hundred kilometers away from the action.


End file.
